This invention relates to a floatation garment and more particularly to a bathing suit having floatation material incorporated therein so as to aid boaters, water skiers, and swimmers in staying afloat when in the water.
Floatation devices or life preservers are generally divided into two main classes: those intended to be worn by the user (e.g., a vest-type life preserver) and those intended to be grasped by the user (e.g., a buoyant cushion or a ring buoy). Generally, most life vests and other floatation devices worn on the body are bulky, hot, and cumbersome to wear and thus are not worn for extended periods of time by fishermen, boaters, and water skiers. Thus, in many instances, for example, when a person is unexpectedly thrown from a boat, he may not be wearing a life preserver.
Heretofore, buoyant garments were known in which a suitable floatation material was incorporated within the garment. However, these floatation garments were bulky, stiff, and uncomfortable. The stiffness of these prior floatation garments inhibited free movement of bathers, water skiers, and boaters. This in turn resulted in their not being worn during normal water sport activities.
Reference may be made to such prior patents as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,775,776 and 3,935,608 which disclose various buoyant garments in the same general field as this invention.